The 28th annual Boothbay Region YMCA Rowgatta drew 51 boats and 56 paddlers to Knickercane Landing on Barters Island to raise nearly $2,500 in support of free swim lessons for all local second graders. Weather was accommodating as relentless morning fog burned off for paddlers and rowers to begin the nine-mile circuit and promises of thundershowers in the afternoon went unmet.

Scott Yeomans finished first, in a single kayak, in 1:37:15; Rocky Keith, second, single, 1:43:56; Louise and Lee Eric Ronshaugen, third, double, 1:44:26; Matt Fenwick, fourth, single, 1:46:34; Bob Cotier, fifth, single, 1:49:32; Don Celler, sixth, single, 1:50:10.

The first woman single kayak was Mary Wawro who finished in 2:00:58, ahead of paddleboarders Andy Hollen and Rodd Langenhagen who shared a time of 2:08:38. Peter Neidhardt and Alan Bois finished in their rowboat in 2:43:30. The last of the participants came in at 3:02:27.

Event organizers Abby Jones and Bonnie Reed credited over 20 volunteers for helping make this year’s event one of the best ever with a record number of boats and participants – 44 kayaks, four double kayaks, two paddleboards and one rowboat completing the circuit. Prizes included non-plastic water bottles and bracelets from 4ocean, an organization focused on reducing and removing ocean plastic. Those were donated by The Smiling Cow.

“We were the event of the year last year because we were so well spaced out and on the water,” said Jones. “This year, we’re happy to see so many people on the water and coming out to support the Y and swim program … Stand-out volunteer Louise Cowan crafted new red ‘Y’ flags to mark the course. Big thanks also to Tidal Transit for their support of this event.”

Single kayak participant Steve Berger teamed up with Boothbay Region TV’s Jonne Trees to host a Go-Pro on his bow. Trees also had drones in the air and filmed from checkpoints around the island. Footage will soon be available online.

Jones said other volunteers included Robert Jordan, Robin Hall Jordan, Paul Cowan, Anthoine Attallah, Doug Jones, Joe Maziarz, Marianne Powell, Jo Moser, Andy and Lori Cozzi, Andy Hamblett, Lisa Macintosh, the “entire BR YMCA family” and the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary’s David Eastwood and Bruce Mac Cormac.